Key Approaches
, Biological Approach
● Biological Approach in psychology is concerned with how physical structures (particularly genes and
central nervous system) influence how we think and behave.
Assumptions:
● Human behaviour is strongly influenced by our genetic makeup and inheritance.
● An understanding of brain structures and their functions can explain both behaviour and thought.
● The brain and the mind are the same.
● Humans have evolved biologically, and have much in common with other animals, especially those close
to us on the ‘evolutionary tree’.
Research Methods:
● Using animals to investigate brain function (eg - damaging an area of animals brain to determine its role
in behaviour).
● Detailed case studies of people with brain damage (like from a car accident) to understand the role of
specific areas of the brain on personality, behaviour and perception.
● Selective breeding of animals (such as rats) to determine which behaviours and characteristics may
have a genetic basis.
● Experimentation with chemicals known to have an effect on the brain and investigation of the effects on
thought and behaviour.
● Study of identical and non-identical twins to help us understand the genetic inheritance of characteristics.
, Biological Approach
Genes:
● Genotype: Their actual genetic make-up.
● Phenotype: The expression of a person's genetic make-up: physical appearance, behavioural
characteristics, personality and so on.
Biological Structures:
● Neuron: Specialised nerve cell which communicates either with other neurons on the central of
peripheral nervous systems, or with muscles or organs in the body.
● Central Nervous System (CNS): Made of brain and spinal cord. Brain stem is oldest part of CNS and
most primitive part of brain, controlling basic functions such as breathing and heart rate. Cerebral
hemispheres perform higher functions such as vision and memory. These hemispheres distinguish
humans from animals.
● Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): The somatic system controls skeletal muscles and receives
information from sensory receptors. Autonomic nervous system controls essential, life-maintaining
processes such as breathing, heartbeat and digestion. Autonomic is made up of sympathetic
(activated when threatened or aroused) parasympathetic (normal body functioning).
● Endocrine System: Secretes hormones into body through glands located throughout the body.
Important gland: pituitary gland, ‘master gland’ located in the brain and controls greatest number of
hormones as well as the other endocrine glands.
, Biological Approach
Evolutionary Psychology:
● Evolutionary psychologists try to explain behaviour in terms of how people adapt to a constantly
changing environment.
● Claim that genes account for not only physical characteristics but also psychological characteristics
such as personality traits and intelligence.
Examples:
● Aggression:
- Extensively studied from an evolutionary perspective.
- Well known that many animal species defend their territory through aggression towards their own.
- Territory means that an animal has resources necessary for survival, mating and care of offspring.
- Humans may resort to violence to defend what hey regard as their territory. Eg - Neighbours may argue over
car parking space, war is fighting over territory, men in some countries regard women as territory they have to
protect.
● Universal facial expressions:
- A limited number of facial expressions of emotion are shown in the same way in different cultures.
- Happiness (smiling), hatred (glaring), displeasure (frowning), and surprise (raised eyebrows, eyes wide
open).
- These expressions of emotion could have resulted from evolution - genetically ‘wired in’.
, Biological Approach
● Biological Approach in psychology is concerned with how physical structures (particularly genes and
central nervous system) influence how we think and behave.
Assumptions:
● Human behaviour is strongly influenced by our genetic makeup and inheritance.
● An understanding of brain structures and their functions can explain both behaviour and thought.
● The brain and the mind are the same.
● Humans have evolved biologically, and have much in common with other animals, especially those close
to us on the ‘evolutionary tree’.
Research Methods:
● Using animals to investigate brain function (eg - damaging an area of animals brain to determine its role
in behaviour).
● Detailed case studies of people with brain damage (like from a car accident) to understand the role of
specific areas of the brain on personality, behaviour and perception.
● Selective breeding of animals (such as rats) to determine which behaviours and characteristics may
have a genetic basis.
● Experimentation with chemicals known to have an effect on the brain and investigation of the effects on
thought and behaviour.
● Study of identical and non-identical twins to help us understand the genetic inheritance of characteristics.
, Biological Approach
Genes:
● Genotype: Their actual genetic make-up.
● Phenotype: The expression of a person's genetic make-up: physical appearance, behavioural
characteristics, personality and so on.
Biological Structures:
● Neuron: Specialised nerve cell which communicates either with other neurons on the central of
peripheral nervous systems, or with muscles or organs in the body.
● Central Nervous System (CNS): Made of brain and spinal cord. Brain stem is oldest part of CNS and
most primitive part of brain, controlling basic functions such as breathing and heart rate. Cerebral
hemispheres perform higher functions such as vision and memory. These hemispheres distinguish
humans from animals.
● Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): The somatic system controls skeletal muscles and receives
information from sensory receptors. Autonomic nervous system controls essential, life-maintaining
processes such as breathing, heartbeat and digestion. Autonomic is made up of sympathetic
(activated when threatened or aroused) parasympathetic (normal body functioning).
● Endocrine System: Secretes hormones into body through glands located throughout the body.
Important gland: pituitary gland, ‘master gland’ located in the brain and controls greatest number of
hormones as well as the other endocrine glands.
, Biological Approach
Evolutionary Psychology:
● Evolutionary psychologists try to explain behaviour in terms of how people adapt to a constantly
changing environment.
● Claim that genes account for not only physical characteristics but also psychological characteristics
such as personality traits and intelligence.
Examples:
● Aggression:
- Extensively studied from an evolutionary perspective.
- Well known that many animal species defend their territory through aggression towards their own.
- Territory means that an animal has resources necessary for survival, mating and care of offspring.
- Humans may resort to violence to defend what hey regard as their territory. Eg - Neighbours may argue over
car parking space, war is fighting over territory, men in some countries regard women as territory they have to
protect.
● Universal facial expressions:
- A limited number of facial expressions of emotion are shown in the same way in different cultures.
- Happiness (smiling), hatred (glaring), displeasure (frowning), and surprise (raised eyebrows, eyes wide
open).
- These expressions of emotion could have resulted from evolution - genetically ‘wired in’.
